Government and industry leaders participate in Bendix safety technology demonstration

Various government and industry leaders participated in Bendix's saftey technology demonstrations which were held in Washington, D.C.

U.S. Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx drives a demo truck outfitted with Bendix ADB22X air disc brakes during the Bendix advanced safety technologies demonstration.
U.S. Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx drives a demo truck outfitted with Bendix ADB22X air disc brakes during the Bendix advanced safety technologies demonstration.

Nearly 90 key legislators, regulators, and advocacy and industry group leaders – including U.S. Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx – participated in a demonstration by Bendix of its advanced safety technologies for commercial vehicles May 7 to 8 in Washington, D.C.

Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems LLC, the North American leader in the development and manufacture of leading-edge active safety, energy management and braking solutions, conducted the learning experience at RFK Stadium. Attendees, who also represented OEMs and key fleets, took part in this year’s proving ground demonstration – the fifth time in recent years that Bendix has provided legislators, regulators and advocates an up-close educational look at its technologies.

In addition to Secretary Foxx, other attendees included Gregory Winfree, Department of Transportation Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology; U.S. Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., a member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation; Anne Ferro, administrator of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA); and David Friedman, acting administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

“At DOT, safety is our top priority and the advanced safety technologies for commercial vehicles being developed by companies like Bendix are impressive and important,” Foxx says. “The demonstration gave us a window into the capabilities of these technologies and how they can be incorporated into commercial vehicles, including trucks, motorcoaches, and even school buses.”

“As legislators, regulators, and advocacy groups consider commercial vehicle safety initiatives, it’s important for them to have an understanding about what technologies exist today and how these will evolve in the future,” says Joe McAleese, Bendix President and CEO. “Our Washington demonstration is a tremendous opportunity to allow participants to see and learn how these technologies contribute to safer roads for everyone.”

Participants experienced firsthand the performance and effectiveness of the range of Bendix active and supportive safety technologies available today – as well as those in testing and development for the future – for tractor trailers, trucks and motorcoaches. These systems are designed to help drivers mitigate rollover, loss-of-control, and rear-end collision situations, while others alert drivers to stationary objects in the vehicle’s path of travel and/or an unintended lane shift.

Systems included the Bendix ESP Electronic Stability Program full-stability system, Bendix Wingman Advanced – A Collision Mitigation Technology, AutoVue Lane Departure Warning (LDW) System from Bendix CVS, the Bendix ADB22X air disc brake and more.

Bendix showed the innovations at work on a variety of commercial vehicles, including tractor trailers, a motorcoach and a school bus. Among the trailers were a refrigerated unit and a tanker. The school bus was part of the demo for the first time. The Bendix advanced safety technologies are not yet offered by school bus manufacturers, but Bendix is working with the school bus industry to help make them available.

Demo participants also learned about SafetyDirect from Bendix CVS, a Web portal that features information to help fleets strengthen driver performance; wheel-end technologies to meet the recent Reduced Stopping Distance (RSD) federal mandate; the Bendix On-Line Brake School, www.brake-school.com, the company’s rapidly growing online training site; and Bendix’s remanufacturing capabilities.

Past Bendix demos in Washington have allowed participants to experience the technologies from the passenger seat of the vehicle. This year’s demo went one step further. Participants were also given the opportunity to drive the vehicle to experience the stopping power and performance of the Bendix ADB22X air disc brake.

“The best way to show someone how our technologies and solutions can help mitigate accidents is to allow attendees to see firsthand how the technologies work, both from the passenger seat and the driver’s seat,” says Fred Andersky, Bendix Director of Government and Industry Affairs. “We had a rainstorm on the first day, and the rain enhanced the demo, in that it allowed us to show how the technology – particularly Bendix ESP – works not only in good conditions, but in inclement weather as well.”

Andersky emphasizes that the advanced safety technologies from Bendix are meant to assist, not replace, drivers. “The systems do not replace the need for safe, alert drivers practicing safe driving habits, along with comprehensive driver training and a strong fleet commitment to safety,” he says. He adds that many of the Bendix safety technologies are available from the major commercial vehicle manufacturers, including Freightliner, International, Kenworth, Mack, Peterbilt and Volvo.

Latest